In the narrative of the creation as given by Moses we
meet with plain indications of a plurality of persons in
the Godhead; and in the beginning of the Gospel by
John, where the same divine operation is referred to, we
have still clearer evidence of a distinction of persons in the
divine essence. The Holy Spirit speaking by Moses says,
God created the heaven and the earth, and speaking by
the evangelist John, ascribes the same work to another
agent—Logos or Word. These two assertions do not contradict
each other, but only serve to show the harmony
that exists among the persons of the trinity in their external
operations. Evidently the evangelist desires to
give special prominence to the agency of the Word in the
work of creation, and thus attributes to him alone what is
referable to the whole trinity, and to all three persons
severally. This is in full accordance with the usage of
the sacred writers, who attribute the same operation sometimes
to one person, sometimes to another, and at other
times to the Godhead without distinction of persons. Having
set him forth as the Creator of all things absolutely, the
evangelist further testifies that in the Word was life; and
that this life was the light of men.

Life was in the Word from all eternity. As the
supreme God, he does not receive any addition to the perfections
of his nature, Heb. 1.11,12. The Scriptures
teach his eternal self-existence, when they apply to him
the name Jehovah, the peculiar appellation of the Eternal
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God. He claims to be eternal when, in answer to the
question of the Jews whether he had seen Abraham he
says—"Before Abraham was, I am." And again in Rev.
1.8., he asserts his claim to eternity substantially in the
same way, but with some amplification. "I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to come." This
same apostle expresses the same idea with still more clearness
in his first epistle. "The life was manifested, and we
have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that
eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested
unto us." [1 John 1.2.]

There is, however, more involved in the verse before us
than the personal existence of the Word. The source of
all life that exists in the universe is revealed in it. The
life of the eternal Word is to all creature-life what the
sun is to the light that illuminates the earth. It is the
life of the Word, that issues forth and animates the various
orders of being, from the smallest animaculæ to the highest
form of angelic intelligence. Especially is it true that
man derives his existence from the life that is in the Word.
Nature itself teaches that God is the author of life. Certain
of the heathen poets have said, "We are also his
offspring." [Acts 17.28.] Christianity goes further and says, "In him
we live, and move and have our being." These declarations
are predicated of God absolutely, and as the Word
is God, they are referable directly to him. We do not
understand the Scriptures as teaching that the fountain of
life is exclusive in him; but only that it is in him in the
same degree as it is in the other two persons of the trinity.
The three persons constitute but one living and true God.

There is life in the Word by donation. He is represented
as having asked and received it. "He asked life
of thee, and thou gavest him, even length of days forever
and ever. As the Father hath life in himself; so
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, Psalm 21.4,
John 5.26. It was only in his official character as
Mediator that the gift of life could be conferred upon him.
When it became requisite that he should assume into
personal union with himself, a real human soul and body,
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the Father authoritatively prepared for him a body, Heb.
10.5. He anointed him with the Spirit above measure,
and furnished him with all needful support in the work,
which he commissioned him to do. The Mediator came
into the world as the plenipotentiary of Heaven. In this
capacity he could "of his own self do nothing." The
Father gave him a commandment, what he should say, and
what he should do. He claimed power to lay down his
life, and power to take it again; but he immediately adds,
"This commandment have I received of my Father." [John 10.18.]

The Eternal Word communicates life to his creatures.
He imparted to animate beings their existence by his own
inherent power, as the co-equal of the Father. The assertion,
sometimes made, that he created the world as
Mediator is open to serious objections. A mediator interposes
between parties. Where there is only one party,
there can be no mediator. When the Word assumed the
character of creator, nothing existed outside the Godhead;
and as God is one, and a mediator is not of one, (Gal. 3.20)
it seems reasonable to conclude that the creation of the
world was not any part of the official work of the Mediator.
Set up from everlasting he certainly was; but there
is a difference between being set apart for a special work,
and the actual performance of that work. Paul tells us
(Gal. 1.15,) that God separated him from his mother's
womb, yet no one will say that he exercised any apostolic
functions until after his conversion. Christ entered into
covenant not to create, but to redeem; and all that he did
irrespective of the terms of that covenant, he did not as
Mediator, but as the Father's equal in voluntary relationship.

At the bare utterance of the fiat of the Word, the irrational
creation came into existence. But when man is
about to be created there is manifested a striking change
in the divine procedure. Instead of uttering the simple
command, a council of the Trinity is held, and in the act
of giving life to the inanimate body of Adam, the Creator
bends down, as it were, and inspires him with a portion of
his own immortal existence. "And the Lord God formed
man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
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the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
Gen. 2.7. As soon as the soul entered into the lifeless
clay of Adam his body began to exhibit signs of life; and
in the light that overspread his countenance was manifested
the internal illumination of his understanding. In him
life and intellectual light were inseparable; and among
his natural posterity all who are possessed of life have also
a measure of the same rational light. "The spirit of man
is the candle of the Lord," Prov. 20.27. Thus it is true
that all the life and light that men enjoy emanate from
the life that is in the Word. He is "the true Light,
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." [John 1.9.]

Christ communicates life as Mediator also. Though
he did not create the world in official character, yet as the
constituted Lord of providence he upholds all things by
his power, and life and light now exist in the world only
as they come from him. To his own people he imparts
eternal life. It is communicated to them when he unites
them to himself. The union between him and his people is
consummated on both sides. The Holy Spirit on the part
of Christ lays hold upon the sinner, and then the sinner
acting by faith in Christ lays hold upon him with all the
strength of his spiritual being. This union is compared in
Scripture to the union between the foundation and the
superstructure, between the head and the body, and between
the vine and the branches. In discoursing to his disciples,
Christ dwells particularly on the analogy furnished by the
vine and its branches. "As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me." The same sap that percolates
through the vine extends to its branches; and as long as
the vital connection is maintained the branches will live
and flourish. We may thus perceive the force of the
Redeemer's words when he says, "Because I live ye shall
live also." [John 14.19.] This union can never be dissolved. The "soul of
the believer is bound up in the bundle of life with the
Lord his God," [1 Sam. 25.29.] and he can never perish. The assuring
words of the apostle Paul are applicable to all the redeemed.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I
live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which
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I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." [Gal.2.20.]

As in the natural world life and light are inseparable,
so also in the spiritual world. The believer is renewed in
knowledge as well as in holiness. The eyes of the understanding
are opened to perceive the beauty and excellency
of spiritual things. "God, who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, shines into the regenerated soul, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ." The spirit forms the organ of
spiritual vision, and presents to it the objective light of
the divine Word. By steadfastly contemplating its sublime
truths, new light is continually let in upon the soul. The
royal Psalmist could say experimentally, "The entrance
of thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding unto
the simple." [Psalm 119.130.] The path of the believer is as the shining
light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
His light may sometimes be obscured by clouds. These
however are only temporary; and every soul in which the
divine light has begun to shine shall finally be admitted
into the "city which has no need of the sun; for the glory
of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." [Rev. 21.23.]